Indians' Leonys Martin: Healthy as spring approaches

Rotowire
6D ago

Martin said Friday that he has made a full recovery from the bacterial infection that forced his emergency hospitalization Aug. 7, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

Martin required medical attention after developing the life-threatening illness following his final plate appearance of the Indians' game against the Twins that day, noting that he "blacked out" before waking up in the hospital. The infection produced intense pain and resulted in Martin being shut down for the rest of the 2018 campaign, but after months of rest, the 30-year-old has enjoyed an otherwise normal offseason and feels ready to resume his career this spring. After re-signing with the Tribe on a one-year, $3 million deal shortly after the past season ended, Martin should get the opportunity to vie for a starting role in an unsettled Cleveland outfield.

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Indians' Francisco Lindor: Evades arbitration

Rotowire
10D ago

Lindor agreed to a one-year, $10.55 million contract with the Indians on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

Lindor belted 38 homers and drove in 92 runs while producing a .277/.352/.519 slash line over 158 games a season ago, and the Indians have managed to avoid an arbitration hearing by coming to terms with their starting shortstop prior to the deadline. The 25-year-old will enter the new campaign as one of the most valuable players at his position in the game of baseball.

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Indians' A.J. Cole: Picked up by Cleveland

Rotowire
10D ago

Cole was claimed by the Indians on Friday.

Cole was designated for assignment by the Yankees a week ago, and it didn't take long for Cleveland to scoop him up. The 27-year-old right-hander spent the majority of his 2018 season in the big leagues but failed to find much success, posting a 6.14 ERA and 1.59 WHIP with 59 strikeouts over 48.1 innings. He'll aim to earn a spot in the Indians' bullpen during spring training.

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Indians' Mike Papi: Receives invite to big-league camp

Rotowire
10D ago

Papi received a non-roster invitation to attend Indians' spring training.

Papi spent the final days of 2018 season on the disabled list with lower back soreness, as he posted a .247/.373/.412 slash line with seven home runs in 83 games at Triple-A Columbus. The 26-year-old struggled with a 26.4 percent strikeout rate, but had a solid walk rate at 15.9 percent. More than anything else, Papi's lack of power as a first baseman is likely to keep him in the minor leagues.

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Indians' Mark Mathias: Will attend major-league camp

Rotowire
9D ago

Mathias received a non-roster invitation to Indians' spring training on Friday.

Mathias spent the last two years at Double-A Akron and posted a .232/.338/.370 slash line in 117 games during 2018. The 24-year-old is an extreme longshot to make the major-league roster given his limited success at Double-A, as he seems likely to spend the 2019 season establishing his footing at Triple-A.

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Indians' Daniel Johnson: Receives spring training invite

Johnson was acquired by the Indians in November from the Nationals for Yan Gomes, and will now have a chance to showcase himself at major-league camp. The 23-year-old is likely destined to spend most of 2019 at Triple-A, but a strong showing would make quite the impression for the young outfielder.

Indians' Kevin Plawecki: Avoids arbitration with Cleveland

Rotowire
12D ago

Plawecki and the Indians agreed to a one-year, $1.1375 million contract Wednesday, avoiding arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

Plawecki was acquired just three days prior and looks to be in line for a split with Roberto Perez behind the plate in Cleveland. Perez has never started more than 66 games behind the plate in Cleveland, typically playing a heavy backup role behind the now-departed Yan Gomes, but it remains to be seen whether Plawecki or Perez will be the leading man this season.

Indians' Nick Goody: Ready for spring

Rotowire
14D ago

Manager Terry Francona said last week that Goody (elbow) will be ready for spring training, Joe Noga of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Goody has progressed as anticipated from the arthroscopic procedure he underwent on his throwing elbow in late August, which ended his 2018 campaign prematurely. Though elbow problems limited Goody to just 11.2 innings with the big club and hindered his effectiveness when he pitched, the right-hander could reclaim a meaningful role out of the bullpen in 2019 if he's feeling healthy coming out of the spring. He was one of the Tribe's most dependable setup men in 2017, accruing a 2.80 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 72:20 K:BB In 54.2 innings.

Indians' Kevin Plawecki: Dealt to Cleveland

Rotowire
15D ago

Plawecki was traded from the Mets to the Indians for pitcher Walker Lockett and infielder Sam Haggerty on Sunday.

Following the Mets' signing of Wilson Ramos, Plawecki looked to eventually wind up squeezed out of a roster spot in the big leagues. The Mets decided to use him as a trade piece, sending him to a Cleveland team that is a bit thin at catcher after shipping Yan Gomes away earlier in the offseason. Plawecki certainly doesn't possess the same offensive upside as Gomes, though, and his value is limited further if he ends up in a timeshare behind the plate with Roberto Perez, as the Indians employed in the past.

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Indians' Danny Salazar: Won't be ready for Opening Day

Rotowire
16D ago

Salazar (shoulder) isn't expected to be healthy enough to begin the 2019 season with the Indians, Joe Noga of Cleveland.com reports.

Salazar was expected to start a throwing program in mid-December, though the Indians are already fairly certain the right-hander won't break camp with the big-league club when spring training comes to a close. He'll likely need to spend at least a few weeks in the minors rehabbing until he's ready to return to the major leagues. A better idea of Salazar's availability should become clearer as the season approaches.

Indians' Justin Grimm: Latches on with Indians

Rotowire
18D ago

Grimm signed a minor-league contract with the Indians on Thursday, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

Grimm dealt with a shoulder impingement for a good chunk of the 2018 season and wound up posting an ugly 10.38 ERA and 1.94 WHIP across 17.1 innings with the Royals and Mariners. He should provide bullpen depth for the Indians in 2019.